ARRIS, which was recently acquired by CommScope, today launched the RDK Lab Accelerator, a solution jointly developed by ARRIS, Metrological and RDK Management.
The RDK Lab Accelerator is based on the ARRIS VIP5202W UHD IP set-top, and is designed to provide the Reference Design Kit (RDK) community an application development platform that uses the latest RDK application framework and the pre-integrated Metrological App Store.
RDK is an open source software platform for the connected home that lets service providers manage their devices and business models as well as customize their apps, user interfaces (UIs) and data analytics.
The companies are hoping the RDK Lab Accelerator can be used by service providers and development partners to launch new services and applications including premium video streaming apps. The RDK Lab Accelerator is a 4K/UHD set top with built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and voice control compatibility. It comes pre-installed with the latest version of RDK open source software, the Metrological App Store and is configured with tools to customize services.
“Many operators simply want an off-the-shelf RDK set-top box experience to test and develop their next-gen video services, and ARRIS has made that easy with the RDK Lab Accelerator,” said Steve Heeb, president and general manager of RDK, in a statement. “Powered by RDK software and pre-loaded with the Metrological App store, it provides a reference integration that allows operators to expedite application development, testing, and service deployment.”
RELATED: RDK adoption surges 62%, reaches 40M set-tops and gateways
The Lab Accelerator launch follows ARRIS’ recently announced support for the RDK software stack across its next-generation Ethernet passive optical network gateways, including a unified back-office system for managing both fiber and DOCSIS architectures.
Last year, RDK Management announced that use of the RDK software stack was up 62% over 2017, from 25 million pay TV set-tops and gateways to around 40 million.
“Our transparent approach to solving common technical challenges enables operators to focus their efforts on creating the UIs, applications and back-end data analytics that enhance the customer experience and business results,” Heeb said. “Our community will also be there with solutions, beyond TV and Internet, as the industry expands into IoT and new kinds of smart home services.”